Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 13 October, 2015

Yesterday was Columbus Day here in America and a day off for us in Boston. The streets were teaming with people out for the holiday on a beautiful, warm, sunny day. Folks in the park, down by the water, out shopping and loads of people spilling out of the many drinking establishments that city has to offer. It was grand being out in it. A good turn out last night for a band dinner at Atlantic Fish on Boyleston. We ate there five years ago and it was every bit as good as I remembered and more. How can you go wrong with a Lobster Crab Louie for starters, hot crusty bread and a massive bowl of Cioppino with fresh halibut, lobster, shrimp, scallops, mussels and clams, all coaxed along with a couple of Tanqueray martinis. Unbelievably delicious all of it.

We de-camped Boston early this afternoon for a show in Pittsburgh at Heinz Hall, home of the Pittsburgh Symphony as well as theatre productions and various concerts. A beautiful theatre with a capacity seating of 2,740. Just before sound check both Mark and I were introduced to a new guitar line designed by John Page who worked for Fender for many years and started their custom shop back in the 1980s. After John left Fender he began building beautiful custom instruments and has recently partnered with Howard Swimmer to design and manufacture John Page Classics… a custom-production guitar. Howard brought two guitars that Mark and I played and we took to them straight away. The look, quality, feel and sound are all immediately evident. Check these instruments out, and by the way, you won’t believe how downright affordable they are: www.johnpageclassic.com

It was also great to see Glenn Worf’s family. His daughter Amanda and her husband have lived in Pittsburgh for the last nine years. Glenn’s other daughter Sarah and his sons Cody and Jessie flew up from Nashville for a little get together on the day off which Glenn spent in Pittsburgh yesterday.

It was a sold out show tonight, a wonderfully warm audience and the sound was superb in Heinz Hall. It all added up to a good show all the way around, well played and well received. As long as I’ve been working with Mark, over 20 years now, “firsts” are few and far between. But tonight was a “first”, it was the first time we played in Pittsburgh. Straits did it, but never has Mark played it in his solo career. All in all it was a great night for many reasons.

A runner after the show to the Legacy, Debby had drinks waiting and shortly after we’d taken off, platters of chicken wings were laid out and it was all elbows and greasy fingers after that. The only thing to go with wings is a couple of ice cold Leinenkugel Originals. Our plane landed an hour later in New Jersey and we were driven to our hotel in Manhattan where we will base for the next nine days. I have a very comfortable room with a view of Carnegie Hall directly across the street. I’m a lucky guy.